Receive the latest television updates in your inbox

Viewership declined last week for the second episodes of all 15 new prime-time series, following a long-established pattern, while the debut of the latest element of the ``Law & Order'' franchise won its time slot.

For the second time in two weeks, CBS' ``Hawaii Five-0'' was the week's most-watched new series and ``Mike & Molly,'' which also airs on CBS, was the most-watched new comedy, according to live-plus-same day viewing figures released today by The Nielsen Co.

"Hawaii Five-0'' averaged 12.72 million viewers, about 10 percent fewer than the week before, but nevertheless won its 10-11 p.m. Monday time slot for the second consecutive week.

It finished 16th among the programs shown on the five major broadcast networks between Sept. 27 and Sunday, five spots lower than the previous week.

"Mike & Molly'' averaged 11.12 million viewers, a 9 percent drop from the week before. It finished second in its 9:30-10 p.m. Monday time slot and 24th for the week, two spots lower than the previous week.

Two other new CBS series also won their time slots, despite significant viewership drops from the previous week. The comedy "'$#*! My Dad Says'' was first in its 8:30-9 p.m. Thursday time slot, averaging 10.43 million viewers, down 17.15 percent. The police drama ``Blue Bloods'' was first from 10-11 p.m. Friday, averaging 11.32 million viewers, 13.03 percent fewer than a week earlier.

The premiere of "Law & Order: Los Angeles'' finished first in its Wednesday 10-11 p.m. time slot and 29th for the week, averaging 10.64 million viewers, the most for NBC in the time period since Sept. 16, 2009, other than the Winter Olympics.

The week's other premiere, the ABC superhero drama "No Ordinary Family,'' was third in its Tuesday 8-9 p.m. time slot, behind ``NCIS'' and ``Glee,'' and 27th for the week, averaging 10.69 million viewers.

Ratings for premieres are often unrepresentative of how a new series will fare in the long run because of the heavy promotion they receive and beneficial scheduling, including following a popular program and facing lesser competition than usual.

The four major networks finished in the same order as they did during the first week of the season. CBS finished first, averaging 11.85 million viewers. ABC was second, averaging 9.16 million, and NBC was third, averaging 8.13 million, followed by Fox Broadcasting, averaging 7.09 million.

Total viewership on the four major networks was down 1.4 percent from premiere week.

Fox was the only network to record an increase in viewership during the second week, rising 8.78 percent. CBS declined 5.16 percent, ABC by 4.47 percent and NBC by 0.26 percent.

Fox benefited from a Britney Spears-themed episode of "Glee,'' which averaged 13.51 million viewers, nearly 9 percent more than its season premiere, and "The Simpsons,'' whose episode guest-starring Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg averaged 8.63 million viewers, 10.47 percent more than its season premiere.

Just as they were in the first week, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars'' was the week's most-watched program, CBS' ``NCIS'' the most-watched scripted show and CBS' "Two and a Half Men'' the most-watched comedy.

Also for the second consecutive week, CBS was first among viewers ages 18-49, the group ABC, NBC and Fox also target and advertisers covet because those viewers watch less television and are harder to reach.

CBS also again led among viewers ages 25-54 and 55 and older, while Fox was first among viewers ages 12-17 and 18-34 for the second consecutive week.

ESPN's "Monday Night Football'' game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers was the week's -- and year's -- most-watched cable television program. Its 17.45 million viewers would have put it fourth among the week's programs on the five major broadcast networks. It was also the fifth most-watched cable television program ever, outside of breaking news.

ESPN was the week's most-watched cable network in prime-time for the fourth consecutive week, averaging 3.61 million viewers.

As usual, Univision was the most-watched Spanish-language network, averaging 3.96 million viewers for its prime-time programming. TeleFutura was second, averaging 770,000, followed by Telemundo, which averaged 700,000, Azteca America, which averaged 260,000, and Estrella TV, which averaged
210,000.

The week's most-watched Spanish-language prime-time program was the Wednesday episode of a Univision telenovela. "Soy tu Duena'' averaged 6.44 million viewers, which would have put it 56th among the programs on the five major English-language networks.

NBC finished first among the network nightly newscasts for the 102nd time in 103 weeks, averaging 7.75 million viewers; followed by ABC, averaging 7.09 million viewers; and CBS, averaging 5.39 million.

The week's 10 most-watched prime-time programs were ABC's "Dancing with the Stars''; NBC's "Sunday Night Football'' between the Chicago Bears and New York Giants; CBS' "NCIS''; ESPN's "Monday Night Football'' game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers; ABC's "Dancing with the Stars: The Results''; CBS' "NCIS: Los Angeles''; NBC's 11-minute "Sunday Night Football'' kickoff show; and CBS' "The Mentalist,'' "Criminal Minds'' and "Two and a Half Men.''